2025 - A Year of Flavour, Function & Food Discovery
It’s been a bang-up year here at NFTC. Throughout 2025, we’ve tracked trends far and wide, covering superfoods, sweets, staples, and everything in between. Our mission has been to offer a full 360° view of the evolving food and beverage landscape, and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed diving into the minutiae of ingredients, innovations, and consumer motivations along the way. We hope our round-up has helped paint a clear picture of what’s shaping plates, palates, and purchasing decisions.
Below, we revisit the key trends that truly came into their own this year: the rise of all things hot, fiery, and peppery; the wellness-driven shift toward nutrient optimisation; and the rediscovery of nature’s hidden gems.
Heating Up
If one trend defined 2025, it was the cultural obsession with heat. Spice has gone from a simple sensory experience to a competitive sport, and social media, particularly the phenomenon of Hot Ones, has fuelled the fire. The show introduced the mainstream to comically high Scoville levels and, more importantly, showcased chillis not just as a measure of heat but as carriers of complex, exciting flavours.
This surge of interest has brought previously niche varietals, like Calabrian chillis, Aji Amarillo, and Carolina Reapers, into the public consciousness. And the appetite shows no signs of slowing. Heat is no longer a fad; it’s the natural result of broader movements in global flavour exploration, culinary authenticity, and a social-media-fuelled pursuit of shareable, challenge-driven experiences. In short, the heat trend isn’t just here to stay, it’s still gathering momentum.
Wellness Warriors
Social media has also accelerated the rise of the “wellness warrior”, with consumers actively seeking to optimise their health through intentional dietary choices. Wellness in 2025 has been holistic and increasingly personalised, focusing on benefits that span mental clarity, digestion, energy, and long-term physical wellbeing.
This shift has elevated everyday heroes like beans, pulses and legumes. Celebrated for their high fibre, high protein, and low environmental impact, these ingredients have taken centre stage in home cooking and foodservice alike. Meanwhile, the Ottolenghi effect continues to shine a spotlight on seeds, nuts and flavour-forward plant-based staples. As people grow more informed about these nutrient-dense ingredients, they’re becoming non-negotiables in everyday diets, both for health and for flavour.
Nature's Apothecary
Alongside whole-food nutrition, consumers are increasingly turning to nature’s apothecary, botanicals with functional properties rooted in traditional medicine and now validated (or rediscovered) through modern wellness culture. Ingredients once relegated to health-food stores and unremarkable supplement tablets are now being reimagined in inventive, enjoyable formats.
Think functional beverages infused with adaptogens, gummies designed for sleep or skin health, and snack ranges fortified with ingredients like turmeric, ashwagandha, elderberry, and ginger. Consumers are exploring botanicals not just for general wellbeing but for targeted support, from sleep-maxxing to stress relief, gut health, immunity, and beyond. Brands are responding with creativity, turning ancient ingredients into modern, accessible wellness rituals.
Looking Ahead to 2026
As 2025 draws to a close, one thing is clear: consumers are more curious, informed, and adventurous than ever. They’re seeking flavour experiences that push boundaries, ingredients that deliver functional benefits, and products rooted in nature, authenticity, and purpose.
At NFTC, we’re excited about what this means for the year ahead. We’ll continue to explore emerging trends, champion quality ingredients, and support brands seeking to innovate in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Whether it’s the next big botanical or a fiery new flavour profile, we’ll be here, tasting, testing, and tracking it all.
Here’s to a vibrant, flavourful, and forward-thinking 2026.